Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Found my lower temperature limit & thinking a warm thought now -- what's yours?

As I peeled my balaclave off and realized it had frozen to my head around the edges, I decided 17F is too cold and started thinking of better things to do in winter...

Here's my favorite warm thought (from this time last year in Antigua)

What's yours?

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd275/spridle22/IMG_0070-1.jpg

17F I can handle. Single digits is where I call it quits.

Warm thought? Coffee.

Not this guy. I live in Canada and no way am I riding in the winter I've been tempted but no way, once it's under 45-50 not a chance. Id rather bore myself on the trainer.

Well doesn't really get that cold out here but a warm thought? Gotta be this pic of Gina. We rode uphill during the summer. We stopped at a gast station to drink some G-Ade. She was sweating pretty good. She turned her head then said, "take a pic of my sweaty ponytail". Who am I to argue! This pic always makes me feel warm and fuzzy but it wasn't the ponytail!:D

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l267/gulpxtreme/062808D.jpg

On some of the cooler days like my NYDay ride, I miss riding without the leg covers and jackets. I'd rather be riding on a 100 degree day in a tanktop!:thumb:
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l267/gulpxtreme/062208E.jpg

I'm below mine this morning......

It's -16F here this morning and I'm not even sure the van will start this morning. Wind chill is -35!

Tom, you have our weather from Yesterday. I am sorry to hear you have it, but glad it is gone. What until the snow hits you tomorrow. You will be glad of the light snow and not worry about the temperatures as they are rising.

19F here in Alabama this morning. Coldest of the year so far. I have a six mile commute and it was fine. My sinuses hurt a bit, I guess from the cold air, but I was okay.

I would think this would be my limit, but the challenge of seeing how low you can go is interesting too.

The other challenge would be getting colder weather than 19F in Alabama!

HI,
As the face starts to go numb you think thats gonna smart when it warms up..
I ve even had my feet in 2 pars of wool socks, and shoe cover go numb and sting like
heck in the shower, thinking I hope that isn't real frost bite..:twitchy:
Doug
If it freezes skin it may be best to go to the Gymn...Its my motto for the rest of winter.Should be only another few days in VA Beach.
I once went joggin in South Carolina and it was a cool drizzle it was a long run I was about 6 mile from the house, and we had a cold snap where it was below freezing wind chil with a drizzle, I was all numb and didn't think much of it DUH! gore tex don't play well when wet.. Got home took a shower and most of my frontal area's had little blotches of frost bite, Yea even that lower area .. So I respect that drizzle stuff now..
PSPS MR BEanz you naughty boy..that pony tail does warm you up a bit...

-13F -30F windchill 4.5mi commute home this morning. The feet got cold about a mile from home-2pr socks were too cramped and 1 a little sweaty from work. The goggles iced a little here and there but otherwise not bad. The head wind with the extra layers was tough. Rode in the middle ring a lot which I rarely do even on "hills".

I pack it in at single digits on the plus side of zero. Haven't had to call off the ride due to the cold since moving to Seattle. (Back in Cincinnati it was a different story.)

I can go below zero, if there's no wind. If there is wind, I stop at 10. :)

I rode right through the cold snap, last night's commute home was -18* F + windchill (around -35 I think). I am glad I did it for the challenge and bragging rights, but am more glad it's over now. Today will be a "tropical" 7* F... I'm thinking of riding in flip flops today!

Would I do it again? Yeah, probably... but a bit begrudgingly. I don't know if it was me or the wheel bearing grease or both, but it certainly seemed much more difficult to pedal than in more reasonable temperatures and made for some slow going.

Snow, Ice and bitter cold... I've cycled through the worst of Iowa's weather. I just hope this week was the one for the record books and we don't have more of this stuff coming our way.

My threshold is 50'. It has been in the mid 40's this week, and I haven't ridden.:cry:

Can you answer this? Since it doesn't get that cold here, try to figure how cold I was on this ride, if you can!:D

We did a forum ride where we got stuck in the pouring rain, unexpectedly. At 4000 elevation, 30 degrees and descending the mtn at 16 mph. Usual descent was at 30 but I could not go any faster cause I was uncontrollably shaking from the cold.

30 degrees, right before a snow at 16 mph in a tshirt and cyling shorts soaking wet? What temp was I feeling or being simulated? I stopped once to check my bike cause I thought the shaking was my fork, it was ME!:eek:

I was so cold I could not talk or move my face/cheeks! It was a 20 mile descent. At one point I wanted to lay down on the side of the road, go to sleep and let the snowplows find me at a later date!:p

About 18.7 degrees, and drop a degree or two for the wet clothes.

About 18.7 degrees, and drop a degree or two for the wet clothes.

Well that's cold aint it? I felt like Stallone in Cliffhanger, the snow scene at the shack! Without the cameras!:p

The warm thought for me today, is I am considering doing the tour de Cure in June. Otherwise, my thoughts revolved around thawing frozen pipes, and having to do the grocery shopping. Oh, and complaining about LAG during Halo 3 deathmatches.

It's also hard to have a warm thought when the kiddies are home from school, due to low tempertures :lol:

Well that's cold aint it? I felt like Stallone in Cliffhanger, the snow scene at the shack! Without the cameras!:p

Try the -17℉ and -37 windchills we had this morning. ;) THAT'S cold.:twitchy::winter2:

My van wouldn't even start. :(

Depends on the distance. My 1.5 mile commute I did at -12F today, and would do again. At 40F, my limit is about an hour.

Warm thought? Hot chocolate with a freshly toasted bagel with a bit of butter and stawberry jam.

The freezing mark for me. As for warm thoughts, this is on my desktop at work:

The Great Allegheny Passage, August 2008. This is near Deal, the high point of the trail. I'll be back out there in June:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3138/2805319886_de27f025db_b.jpg

The freezing mark for me. As for warm thoughts, this is on my desktop at work:

The Great Allegheny Passage, August 2008. This is near Deal, the high point of the trail. I'll be back out there in June:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3138/2805319886_de27f025db_b.jpg

I was there with a Scout group last summer; we'll be back again this year.
So tell me, why weren't those things turning even in the wind?
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3031/2608623417_2264918f0b.jpg

I feel very fortunate this time of year that I'm in Phoenix... its about 75.

now whats everyone's upper limit, I quit at 110 degrees in the Phoenix summer.

ive never found a lower limit

Take a look at these for sub 20 degree rides.

www.barmitts.com

Yes, they look dorky but they work really well.

Easy to shift, pedal out of the saddle and remove quickly on warmer days

Dan

Barr Mitts

http://www.barmitts.com/photos/fp-5.jpg

My upper limit is 100-103, but it is a lot more humid here (missouri) than AZ. No hard rides at that temp, just cruising. I wouldn't do more than a 20 mile ride at that temp. Dan

single digits is ok of no windchill 5 degrees with windchill of -10 i think might be my limit but i also recall a drizzley 27 with high winds felt colder

I found out earlier this month that 4 degrees F is too cold for me for more than a few miles.

I've been informed that my record low commute of -12 was actually only -4, in which case my lower limit must be adjusted upward a few degrees. At somewhere around 0F, I think I'll be finding reasons to drive to work.

I rode 8 miles today (22F) and did an experiment with minimal clothing. Windbreaker, sweat-wicking t-shirt, windbreaker pants, my $9 Home Depot work gloves, wool socks, sneakers, and balaclava. It was great, I didn't sweat at all on the ride and was warm after about a mile on the road. I should have packed a heavy fleece on the bike in case I had to change a flat or stop for any extended period of time.

Interestingly, once i got back inside I was really cold for about 15 minutes after putting my warmer work clothes back on...

Call me a wuss if you like, but I ride because I ENJOY it. However I have discovered that below 38 degrees, I no longer enjoy it. That means I haven't been out since Nov. 14. I'm getting bummed. We did have a day where the temperature went into the fifties, but it came with 50 mph winds. No ride that day, either.

I don't really know why, but Tucson keeps popping into my head lately, along with Australia.

my upper limit hasnt been reached yet. last summer we had a heat wave that was 103-110 and i rode right through it. 30-40 miles each day and it get pretty humid around here. still wore my base layer under the bib but left the jersey home. i wasnt able to go full speed but i still rode.